Vol. 3, Issue 1, Part A (2021)

Copper Zinc Tin Sulphide (Cu₂ZnSnS_4, CZTS) thin films absorber materials were deposited onto soda-lime glass substrates by sol-gel dip-coating technique, a simple and low-cost process. The Cu₂ZnSnS₄ precursor solution contains copper (II) acetate precursor, Zinc (II) acetate precursor, Tin (II) Chloride precursor, Thiourea solution, and a mixture of ethanol and water. The prepared films were annealed in the presence of sulphur gas at a temperature of 500 ^oC for one hour. The influence of film thickness on the structural properties and composition of the synthesized CZTS thin film absorbers was investigated. The prepared films were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF). The thickness of the film of each sample was determined with the aid of a surface profiler. The XRD and Raman spectroscopy measurements exhibited the formation of polycrystalline kesterite structure of CZTS thin films. AFM showed increasing grain density, growth and compactness as film thickness increases.